Committees Report Template - Web viewDraft Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan 2017....

DRAFT LOWER COTTER CATCHMENT RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2017

S T A N D I N G C O M M I T T E E O N E N V I R O N M E N T A N D T R A N S P O R T A N D C I T Y S E R V I C E S

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7

REPORT 3

D R A F T L O W E R C O T T E R C A T C H M E N T R E S E R V E M A N A G E M E N T P L A N 2 0 1 7

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Suzanne Orr MLA Chair

Steve Doszpot MLA Deputy Chair

Tara Cheyne MLA

Mark Parton MLA

SECRETARIAT

Andrew Snedden Secretary

Lydia Chung Administrative Assistant

CONTACT INFORMATION

Telephone 02 6205 0199Post GPO Box 1020, CANBERRA ACT 2601Email [email protected] www.parliament.act.gov.au

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http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/

mailto:[email protected]


Resolution of appointment of the Committee

The Legislative Assembly for the ACT appointed the Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services (ETCS) on 13 December 2016.

Specifically the resolution establishing the Standing Committees of the 9th Assembly, as it relates to the Standing Committee on ETCS states:

(1) The following general purpose standing committees be established and each committee inquire into and report on matters referred to it by the Assembly or matters that are considered by the committee to be of concern to the community:

.....

(c) a Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services to examine matters related to city and transport services, public infrastructure, heritage, and sport and recreation and matters related to all aspects of climate change policy and programs, water and energy policy and programs, provision of water and energy services, conservation, environment and ecological sustainability;1

1 See, ACT Legislative Assembly, Minutes of Proceedings, 13 December 2016, p. 13.

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reference to the Committee

The Draft Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan 2017 was referred to the Committee by the Minister for Environment and Heritage, Mick Gentleman MLA, by letter dated 22 August 2017.

The formal part of the Minister’s letter reads:

The custodian of the Lower Cotter Catchment, the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, has prepared a reserve management plan for the area of public land known as the Lower Cotter Catchment and has submitted the plan to me for approval. The plan has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8 of the Nature Conservation Act 2014.

Section 181 of the Act requires that I refer the plan, and a report on public consultation, to an appropriate committee for consideration. Please find the Lower Cotter Reserve Management Plan at Attachment A and Consultation Report at Attachment B.

Section 181 of the Nature Conservation Act 2014 reads:

181

(1) This section applies if the custodian of a reserve submits a draft reserve management plan to the Minister for approval.

(2) The Minister must, not later than 5 working days after the day the Minister receives the draft plan, refer the following to an appropriate Committee of the Legislative Assembly:

(a) the draft plan;

(b) the report mentioned in section 180 (3).

(3) The committee must consider the draft plan and report and either—

(a) recommend that the Minister approves the draft plan; or

(b) make another recommendation about the draft plan.

(4) The committee must tell the Minister about the recommendation and refer the matter back to the Minister.

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Glossary

The Act – ACT Nature Conservation Act 2014

Draft Reserve Management Plan – the Draft Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan 2017 referred to the Committee on 22 August 2017.

LCC – the Lower Cotter Catchment area, taking in the area showing on the map reproduced as an attachment to this report.

Custodian – the custodian of the Lower Cotter Catchment; the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate.

Consultation Report – the report prepared by the Custodian pursuant to section 180 of the Act.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP............................................................................................i

Secretariat......................................................................................................................i

Contact information........................................................................................................i

Resolution of appointment of the Committee................................................................ii

reference to the Committee..........................................................................................iii

Glossary........................................................................................................................iv

R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S .........................................................................................V I I

1 B A C K G R O U N D T O T H E I N Q U I R Y ..................................................................1

Introduction - previous inquiries...................................................................................1

Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan - preparation and processing of a Draft..............................................................................................................................1

2 C O M M I T T E E I N Q U I R Y ....................................................................................3

Introduction...................................................................................................................3

Committee Inquiry process............................................................................................3

Submissions Received....................................................................................................4

Committee Report.........................................................................................................5

3 C O M M I T T E E C O M M E N T .................................................................................7

Comment on submissions..............................................................................................7

4 C O M M I T T E E R E C O M M E N D A T I O N U N D E R S E C T I O N 1 8 1 O F T H E N A T U R E C O N S E R V A T I O N A C T 2 0 1 4 ..........................................................9

5 C O N C L U S I O N .................................................................................................1 1

A P P E N D I X A S U B M I S S I O N S R E C E I V E D B Y T H E C O M M I T T E E ...................1 3

A P P E N D I X B M A P O F T H E L O W E R C O T T E R C A T C H M E N T A R E A R E S E R V E … . ...................................................................................................1 5

A P P E N D I X C T A B L E O F A C T I O N T O B E T A K E N U N D E R T H E L O W E R C O T T E R C A T C H M E N T R E S E R V E M A N A G E M E N T P L A N ( A P P E N D I X 1 O F T H E C O N S U L T A T I O N R E P O R T O N T H E D R A F T M A N A G E M E N T P L A N 2 0 1 7 ) … … . . ..................................................................................................1 9


RECOMMENDATIONS

R E C O M M E N D A T I O N 1

4.3 The Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services, having considered the matters required of it by Section 181 of the Nature Conservation Act 2014, recommends that the Minister for Environment and Heritage approve the Draft Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan 2017.

D R A F T L O W E R C O T T E R C A T C H M E N T R E S E R V E M A N A G E M E N T P L A N 2 0 1 7 1

1 BACKG ROUN D TO THE INQUI RY

INTRODUCTION - PREVIOUS INQUIRIES

1.1 The Lower Cotter Catchment (the LCC) was the subject of two detailed reports to the Assembly in the period leading up to the preparation and production of a reserve management plan for the LCC.

1.2 Auditor-General’s Report No. 3 of 2015: Restoration of the Lower Cotter Catchment was presented to the Assembly on 20 May 2015.

1.3 The Audit report presented results of a performance audit that examined management of the LCC and reported on the consideration and implementation of the LCC strategic management plan 2007.

1.4 A report from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) reviewing the Auditor-General’s Report and making recommendations on the issues raised was tabled in the Assembly on 27 July 2016. This report made a number of recommendations for implementation of the LCC strategic plan.

1.5 In the Government’s response to the PAC, presented on 13 December 2016, the Government advised that:

The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate has scheduled the public release of a draft plan of management for the Lower Cotter Catchment before the end of 2016.

LOWER COTTER CATCHMENT RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN - PREPARATION AND PROCESSING OF A DRAFT

1.1 The Nature Conservation Act 2014 (the Act) requires the custodian of a reserve to do three things to prepare and finalise a draft reserve management plan for submission to the Minister.

prepare a draft reserve management plan pursuant to section 177 of the Act, in consultation with specified officers and agencies responsible for all aspects of the reserve management.

pursuant to section 180 of the Act, conduct a public consultation process of the draft reserve management plan with interested bodies, individuals and agencies, following a prescribed process of public notification and of consideration of consultations and their result.

pursuant to section 180 of the Act, prepare and present a draft reserve management plan to the Minister, having regard to submissions and other views provided to the custodian. The custodian also must present a report to the Minister on the issues that were raised during the consultation process and the custodian’s responses to them and the manner in which the management plan was amended in response. This process was followed from January to March 2017.

1.2 In the case of the Draft Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan 2017 (Draft Reserve Management Plan), the process prescribed by the Act was completed by the Minister forwarding the Draft Reserve Management Plan to this Committee pursuant to section 181 of the Act.

2 S T A N D I N G C O M M I T T E E O N E N V I R O N M E N T A N D T R A N S P O R T A N D C I T Y S E R V I C E S


2 COMM ITTEE INQUI RY

INTRODUCTION

2.1 The Committee was referred two documents pursuant to section 181 of the Act by the Minister for Environment and Heritage on 22 August 2017.

2.2 These documents are:

the Draft Reserve Management Plan available at: http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1097623/Lower-Cotter-Catchment-Reserve-Management-Plan-2017.pdf

the Consultation Report from the Custodian of the LCC setting out issues raised in submissions made to the Custodian during the public consultation period for the Draft Reserve Management Plan available at: http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1097166/Summary-Consultation-Report-Lower-Cotter-Catchment-Reserve-Management-Plan.pdf

2.3 Section 181 of the Act requires the Committee to consider the Draft Reserve Management Plan and the Consultation Report and either recommend that the Minister approves the Draft Reserve Management Plan, or make another recommendation about the Draft Reserve Management Plan.

2.4 Section 182 of the Act provides that, following this process, the Committee must tell the Minister about the recommendation to refer the matter back to the Minister.

2.5 The Committee is to complete this consideration, and recommendation requirement within 6 months after the day the Draft Reserve Management Plan was given to the Committee.

2.6 The Committee resolved to consider and examine the Draft Reserve Management Plan under Section 181 at a meeting held on 19 September 2017.

COMMITTEE INQUIRY PROCESS

2.1 As the Committee is empowered to conduct inquires as the Standing Committee responsible for the examination and report on matters related to the Environment of the ACT, the Committee is the appropriate Standing Committee of the Assembly to be referred a draft Plan and Consultation Report pursuant to Section 181 of the Act.

2.2 The Committee undertook the consideration of the Draft Reserve Management Plan and the Consultation Report having regard to the aims, purpose and scope of the Draft Reserve Management Plan and to the nature and extent of the consultation process on the Draft Reserve Management Plan which is provided in the Consultation Report.

http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1097166/Summary-Consultation-Report-Lower-Cotter-Catchment-Reserve-Management-Plan.pdf

http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1097166/Summary-Consultation-Report-Lower-Cotter-Catchment-Reserve-Management-Plan.pdf

http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1097623/Lower-Cotter-Catchment-Reserve-Management-Plan-2017.pdf

http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1097623/Lower-Cotter-Catchment-Reserve-Management-Plan-2017.pdf

2.3 In accordance with established practice, the Committee advertised its inquiry on the Assembly Committees’ website and invited written submissions be lodged with the Committee by Friday, 27 October 2017.

2.4 The Committee also wrote to those bodies, agencies and other groups and individuals who were consulted directly and were involved in making submissions to the custodian of the LCC and who are represented and recorded in the Consultation Report. The Committee has taken this approach to assess the effectiveness and extent of the Custodian’s consultative process and has assessed the Draft Reserve Management Plan accordingly.

2.5 The Committee also invited the Ministers responsible for the application, observance and compliance of particular provisions and terms of the Management Plan to put any view they may wish to the Committee on matters to be considered by the Committee.

2.6 In addition to the Minister for Environment and Heritage and Minister for Planning and Land Management (Mick Gentleman MLA) – the minister responsible for the Draft Reserve Management Plan, the Committee wrote to other ministers of the Government seeking their views, as follows: the Minister for Transport and City Services (Meegan Fitzharris MLA), the Minister for Sport and Recreation (Yvette Berry MLA) and the Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability (Shane Rattenbury MLA). Each Minister advised the Committee they had no comment to make on the Committee’s inquiry.

SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED

2.1 By 27 October 2017, the Committee had received one submission from the ACT Equestrian Association Inc., which expressed specific support for the Draft Reserve Management Plan as it affected and provided for equestrian activities in the LCC area.

2.2 A second submission was received from Graham Mackenzie-Smith, a former forester with experience as a First Manager in the LCC area during the 1970s and 1980s. Mr Mackenzie-Smith’s submission addressed matters related to the decision to and implementation of the cessation of pine replanting operations in the LCC, and to manage the LCC as a ‘recovering landscape’ to be managed for a range of purposes which will gradually eliminate pine forestry operations from the LCC.

2.3 Mr Mackenzie-Smith recommended several matters for the Committee’s consideration which are commented on in the next Chapter.

2.4 Both submissions received by the Committee are published on the Committee’s inquiry website.



COMMITTEE REPORT

2.1 The Committee has prepared a report to the Assembly reflecting its consideration of the Draft Reserve Management Plan and the Consultation Report as required by Section 181 of the Act.

2.2 The Committee considered the Chair’s draft report at a meeting on 22 November 2017.

2.3 The Committee adopted the Report at a meeting on 22 November 2017.


3 COMM ITTEE COMM ENT

3.1 The Draft Reserve Management Plan is the first draft reserve management plan referred to this Committee pursuant to section 181 of the Act.

3.2 The Committee is aware that the scrutiny and consideration requirements expected of the Committee by the Act are particularly significant and that it allows the opportunity to reflect on the content, aims, scope and structure of a draft reserve management plan as well as the detail of directions and guidelines provided to the land manager.

3.3 The Committee notes that all aspects of the development of the Draft Reserve Management Plan have been subject to active and detailed scrutiny and consultative planning based on catchment, land and multi-use management knowledge and of particular reference to the unique demands on the LCC. The Committee has set out aspects of this process in Chapter 1.

3.4 The Committee considers the process provided for in section 181 of the Act is an important and desirable element in the accountability and transparency of major land and reserve management in the ACT. It is the Committee’s view that assessment and examination of draft reserve management plans and the process of the preparation, formulation and finalisation of those plans should, to the greatest extent possible, be subjected to final consideration – as provided for in the Act –before implementation.

COMMENT ON SUBMISSIONS

3.1 The Committee noted in the previous chapter that it has received two submissions to its inquiry.

3.2 Of the two submissions, the Committee notes the submission from Mr Graham Mackenzie-Smith which has addressed issues relating to management of the reduction and cessation of pine planting and forestry in the LCC and its replacement by natural vegetation.

3.3 Mr Mackenzie-Smith focussed on four areas in his submission: the historical context of pine forestry in the LCC as covered within the Draft Reserve Management Plan; control and treatment of pine wildings and pine regrowth; the future of the current LCC pine plantation activity; and weed control.

3.4 The Committee believes the matters raised by Mr Mackenzie-Smith are dealt with in two sections of the Draft Reserve Management Plan. Section 6 ‘Landscape and Ecological Values’ provides a detailed plan and approach within guidelines aimed at the issues Mr Mackenzie-Smith has highlighted in his submission. The Committee considers that, subject to the Draft Reserve Management Plan guidelines and requirements, these matters will be met.

3.5 Section 8 of the Draft Reserve Management Plan, ‘Cultural Heritage Values’ provides for recognition, recording and protective management of a number of aspects of activities in the

LCC from the establishment of Canberra, the construction of the old Cotter Dam and the establishment and conduct of productive forestry in the LCC for a period of some 75 years. Mr MacKenzie-Smith submission suggests that aspects of this history could be recorded as part of the LCC historical and cultural preservation and protection parts of the Draft Reserve Management Plan.

3.6 Mr Mackenzie-Smith’s submission is that;

A register of block, road and place names associated with the Lower Cotter Catchment during the pastoral and forestry periods along with information of their derivation be published on a suitable website; and

Provide for examination of the known location of sites to determine if any artefacts or remnants are present which are suitable for conservation.

3.7 The Committee notes that Mr Mackenzie-Smith’s submission contains an annexure which provided details of ‘Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve –Forestry Places’ which provides a good guide to the sites discussed by Mr Mackenzie-Smith.

3.8 The Committee does not recommend addition or amendment to the Draft Reserve Management Plan , but does consider that management of Section 8 of the Draft Reserve Management Plan, as applied to locations and sites of potential historical interest should give consideration to matters identified by Mr Mackenzie-Smith.



4 COMM ITTEE RECO MMEND ATI ON UNDER SECTI ON 181 OF THE NATURE CONS ERVATION ACT 2014

4.1 The Committee has provided detail of its examination of the Draft Reserve Management Plan in the previous chapter.

4.2 The Committee considers that, in view of its inquiries and consideration of the Draft Reserve Management Plan and the Consultation Report, the Committee concludes it is appropriate that it recommend that the Minister for Environment and Heritage approve the Draft Reserve Management Plan and advises the Minister accordingly.

RECOMMENDATION 1

4.3 The Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services, having considered the matters required of it by Section 181 of the Nature Conservation Act 2014, recommends that the Minister for Environment and Heritage approve the Draft Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan 2017.


5 CONCL USIO N

5.1 The Committee acknowledges the importance of the consultation process undertaken in this inquiry and the importance to the community and to transparency and proper process required by the Act in ensuring a thorough process of consultation and review on draft reserve management plans is undertaken.

5.2 The Committee considers the process it has undertaken in the inquiry has been of great value accordingly to implementing all checks and balances prescribed in the Act.

Suzanne Orr MLA

Chair 28 November 2017


Appendix A Submissions received by the Committee

Submission 1 – ACT Equestrian Association Inc.

Submission 2 – Mr Graham Mackenzie-Smith


Appendix B Map of the Lower Cotter Catchment Area Reserve



Appendix C Table of action to be taken under the Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve Management Plan (Appendix 1 of the Consultation Report on the Draft Management Plan 2017)


APPENDIX 1: TABLE OF ACTIONSPriority for implementation of actions

High: Implemented within three years of the publication of this plan.

Medium: Implemented within five years of the publication of this plan.

Low: Implemented within the life of this plan.

*Ongoing actions: Some actions will be ongoing throughout the life of the plan.

ACTIONS PRIORITY RESPONSIBILITY

Chapter 4: Zoning and access

1. Monitor and assess the use of roads and trails by management and other organisations, and maintain strict oversight of the issue of keys for locked gates.

High* EPSDD

2. Ensure that roads and trails are maintained to appropriate standards.

High* EPSDD

3. Manage the construction, maintenance and use of roads and trails to minimise impacts such as erosion, the spread of weeds or other factors that may adversely affect reserve values.

High* EPSDD

4. Request amendment/s be made to the Territory Plan to establish an identifiable boundary for the LCC.

High EPSDD

Chapter 5: Water resources

5. Work with Icon Water to continue releases of environmental flows to maintain the health of downstream aquatic systems, timed to have maximum ecological benefits, particularly to assist with recruitment and sustainability of threatened fish populations.

Medium* Icon Water

EPSDD

6. Work with Traditional Custodians to achieve their objectives for cultural flows and incorporate into relevant management practices.

Medium* EPSDD

7. Control and minimise road and trail runoff and active erosion. High* EPSDD

8. Review the current condition of wetlands and riparian areas and prepare and implement appropriate management responses to protect them.

High* EPSDD

9. Undertake risk-based assessments for any works and events that pose a contamination risk to the reservoir or streams in relation to pathogens, chemicals, or erosion and sediment delivery.

Medium* EPSDD

10. Restrict recreational activities in the Core Catchment Zone and prohibit recreational access in the Restricted Access Zone (in or on the waters of the Cotter Reservoir).

High* EPSDD


11. Monitor the effectiveness of existing erosion control structures and undertake stabilisation and erosion control measures in areas that show evidence of active erosion.

Medium* EPSDD

12. Develop and implement a long term erosion control plan for the LCC.

High EPSDD

13. Manage grazing pressure from native and feral animals to limit loss of ground cover and consequent erosion.

Medium* EPSDD

14. Identify and manage sources of excessive nutrient input as far as practicable.

Medium* EPSDD

15. Minimise nutrient inputs by restricting visitor activities such as camping.

High* EPSDD

16. Apply the Ecological Guidelines for Fuel and Fire Management Operations (ACT Government 2012b) to all fire management operations.

High* EPSDD

17. As far as practicable, use chemicals outside an appropriate buffer distance from the reservoir and away from catchment drainage lines and wetlands. Strictly control the use of chemicals for weed control in riparian and shoreline areas to minimise contamination of the water body, and advise Icon Water when chemicals are in use.

High* EPSDD

ICON

Chapter 6: Landscape and ecological values

18. Prioritise habitat connectivity in landscape rehabilitation activities in the LCC.

Medium* EPSDD

19. Continue to regenerate hill slopes with suitable native species, stabilise gullies, and remediate erosion from roads and trails.

High* EPSDD

20. Continue restoration of native vegetation cover to stabilise the catchment.

Medium* EPSDD

21. Prioritise conservation of riparian vegetation, populations of uncommon plant species, and the bog/fen complexes at Blundells Flat and Shannons Flat.

High* EPSDD

22. Enforce fishing regulations and continue to prohibit the use of bait fishing in the LCC, as it may introduce alien species and carry parasites and diseases.

High* EPSDD

23. Undertake research into the threats to threatened aquatic species, including Macquarie Perch in accordance with Action Plan 29 (under review).

Medium EPSDD

2 2 S T A N D I N G C O M M I T T E E O N E N V I R O N M E N T A N D T R A N S P O R T A N D C I T Y S E R V I C E S



24. Prohibit the movement of any aquatic plants, aquatic animals or water from outside the Cotter catchment into the Cotter catchment.

High* EPSDD

25. Explore options to improve connectivity for aquatic species to upstream habitat, such as providing fish passage when road infrastructure is upgraded.

Low* EPSDD

26. Promote resilience to climate change by:

controlling or managing ecological stressors such as weeds, herbivores and introduced predators

identifying, managing and protecting potential refugia and landscape connections

maintaining and restoring diversity in ecological communities maintaining large, well connected and genetically diverse

populations

Low*

27. Target weed control to priority areas and to where regeneration is occurring naturally.

Medium* EPSDD

28. Conduct a survey for Phytophthora and prioritise and manage infected areas to contain the disease.

Medium EPSDD

29. Implement existing protocols for preventing the spread of EHN and other aquatic diseases and review their effectiveness as required.

High EPSDD

30. Develop early detection programs and emergency response plans to prevent the introduction of alien fish species, such as Carp and Redfin, to the LCC

High

31. Design and undertake management programs for pest animals and plants in accordance with the ACT Pest Animal Management Strategy 2012–2022, ACT Weeds Strategy and pest control priorities, and in cooperation with adjacent land managers.

High* EPSDD

32. Continue monitoring the effectiveness of the restoration/regeneration effort.

Medium* EPSDD

33. Assess the effectiveness of restoration efforts to-date to inform the development of a new, 10 year vegetation restoration management plan

High EPSDD

34. Implement a long-term program of restoration incorporating community involvement, plantings and direct seeding

Medium* EPSDD

35. Progressively remove existing pine plantations and replace with native species.

Low* EPSDD


36. Continue to contribute to research and monitoring on changes in the distribution, abundance and ecology of specific fauna species in response to the 2003 fires, the enlargement of Cotter Dam and subsequent restoration activities

Medium* EPSDD

37. Work with Icon Water to implement the recommendations of Fish Management Plans and associated research projects (Appendix 6), where feasible, to improve management of threatened aquatic species

Medium* EPSDD

ICON

38. Require researchers to demonstrate that projects have sound methodology, are relevant to the LCC, are appropriately supervised, and minimise disturbance to important habitat areas.

Medium* EPSDD

39. Encourage and support survey, monitoring and research activities, particularly related to water supply, catchment management and fire management, and protection of natural and cultural heritage.

Medium* EPSDD

40. Monitor the impact of recreation (types of activities, levels of use and location) with a focus on activities that affect water quality.

Medium* EPSDD

Chapter 7: Fire management

41. Set intervals for planned fires to create fire-fighting advantages across the landscape while also maintaining areas of each vegetation community within the fire thresholds (including the upper end of each threshold) for that community.

High* EPSDD

42. Include actions in the LCC underneath the overarching EPSDD annual Bushfire Operations Plans.

High* EPSDD

43. Consider long-term systematic monitoring and research programs to better understand the ecology of the LCC as a basis for fire management planning.

High EPSDD

44. Develop an access strategy for fire management in the LCC that takes account of environmental, social and economic values. This strategy will include:

the provision of an appropriate fire-trail network to assist in rapid suppression and/or management operations and to provide the basis for fire fuel management activities

specified standards for the maintenance of fire trails and classification of trails according to classification standards identified in the SBMP, current codes of practice, and requirements under the Environment Protection Act 1997

a network of water access points for vehicles and helicopters.

High EPSDD

45. Protect sensitive areas in planned fire operations, including soils of extreme or very high erodibility that are actively eroding or showing signs of landscape dysfunction, and fire sensitive vegetation communities and aquatic communities.

High* EPSDD




46. Follow the Ecological Guidelines for Fuel and Fire Management Operations in all fire operations.

High* EPSDD

47. Identify in operational plans a Water Quality Protection Area (WQPA) comprising a vegetated buffer strip consistent with ACT Government overarching guidelines on sustainable land management. The approval of Icon Water must be obtained prior to the use of prescription burning, wetting agents, foaming agents, retardant or earth moving machinery within this buffer.

Medium EPSDD

48. Define an appropriate width for a Water Quality Protection Area (WQPA) consisting of a vegetated buffer strip when preparing a future code/s of sustainable land management

Medium EPSDD

49. Involve the local Aboriginal community in implementing and monitoring cultural-ecological burns in fire management operations where possible.

Medium* EPSDD

Chapter 8: Cultural heritage values

50. Support an ACT Parks Aboriginal advisory group to increase the involvement of Aboriginal staff, Traditional Custodians and other Aboriginal groups in land management programs that encourage greater understanding and connection with the cultural landscape.

Medium* EPSDD

51. Consult with Traditional Custodians about dual-naming of the reserve or places within the reserve

Medium* EPSDD

52. In collaboration with Traditional Custodians and an ACT Parks Aboriginal advisory group, prepare conservation management plans for significant Aboriginal cultural heritage places as the primary basis for their ongoing management.

Medium* EPSDD

53. Support the development of guidelines for Aboriginal people’s access to Country for cultural purposes.

Medium* EPSDD

54. Increase awareness and appreciation of cultural heritage, including through the involvement of local Aboriginal people and their stories.

Medium* EPSDD

55. Explore opportunities to conserve and interpret migrant and settler cultural heritage. For example, the Conservation Management Plan for Blundells Flat and Shannons Flat contains a detailed history of the area and conservation policies and works that could be implemented for ongoing protection and management of cultural heritage features.

Medium* EPSDD


Chapter 9: Recreation

56. Prohibit or restrict recreational activity that has the potential to adversely affect water quality or other reserve values.

High EPSDD

57. Monitor the impacts of recreational activities on reserve values and increase/decrease restrictions as appropriate

High* EPSDD

58. Undertake a risk assessment for any new recreational activity or facility prior to permitting the activity in the LCC.

High* EPSDD

59. Develop a strategy to inform visitors to the LCC on appropriate recreational activities

Medium* EPSDD

Chapter 10: Community engagement

60. Develop and implement education and communication strategies to improve community knowledge about the values of the LCC, appropriate use, and the importance of access restrictions in protecting water quality.

High* EPSDD

61. Continue to support community involvement and input from Aboriginal groups in revegetation and other environmental improvement activities.

Medium* EPSDD

62. Develop and implement a strategy to encourage new and expanded volunteer participation in restoration activities, citizen science and research projects.

Medium* EPSDD

63. Enhance partnerships with Aboriginal groups in managing the reserve

Medium* EPSDD

64. Enhance partnerships with neighbours in managing reserve boundaries.

Medium* EPSDD

Chapter 11: Environmental protection and management operations

65. Ensure that staff and contractors are aware of their responsibilities in adhering to the requirements of the development assessment process in the Planning and Development Act and Territory Plan.

High* EPSDD

66. Prepare work plans that incorporate licensing and environmental protection requirements for all works undertaken in the reserve.

High* EPSDD

67. Develop and implement a strategy for raising awareness of the necessary restrictions on activities in the LCC to promote appropriate behaviour and improve compliance.

High* EPSDD


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